PDL Bloods Leader Sentenced to 16 years in Prison for Conspiracy to Participate in a Racketeering Enterprise

Baltimore, Maryland — U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Marcus Brooks, also known as MB, age 35, of Pasadena, California, today to 16 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to his gang activities as a leader of the PDL Bloods.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Baltimore City State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein; Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

Many local street gangs adopt the names of national gangs, and some seek ‘official’ status by affiliating with national gang leaders, said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. Although he lived in California, Marcus Brooks held a leadership role in a Baltimore street gang that paid dues to be part of the PDL Bloods.

ATF’s continuous commitment to protecting the citizens of Baltimore, and throughout the country, is evident by this sentencing today, says ATF Special Agent in Charge Theresa Stoop. Our Violent Crime Impact Team did not restrict their investigation to the confines of the city, but extended all efforts to take down every member of this gang, even those in California.

According to Brooks’ plea agreement, in the early 1970s, a street gang known as the Bloods was formed in Los Angeles, California. The Bloods spread to other states and broke into individual units or sets. Each set was identified or affiliated with a certain street, neighborhood, or area. ATF agents in Baltimore have been investigating a Bloods set known as the Pasadena Denver Lanes (also known as the Lanes,PDL, and L-Gang). This Baltimore street gang was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of illegal narcotics, including crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The PDL gang also committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assaults, robberies, and other violent activities. Marcus Brooks was a leader of the PDL Bloods.

From at least January 2008 to April 2010, Brooks participated in PDL gang activities. In his leadership role, Brooks ordered gang sanctions from California and based on those orders, PDL members in Baltimore were assaulted and beaten. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement overheard Brooks discussing gang activities, including narcotics trafficking. In addition, the PDL sent Bloods dues from gang members in Maryland to Brooks in California. Brooks is responsible for the distribution of 500 grams to 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine and 3 kilograms of heroin during the course of the racketeering conspiracy.

United States Attorney Rosenstein expressed his appreciation to Secretary Gary D. Maynard and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their assistance in the investigation.

Mr. Rosenstein thanked the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Kwame J. Manley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci Robinson, a crossdesignated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to EXILE cases, who prosecuted the conspiracy case, and Baltimore City Assistant State’ Attorneys Staci Pipkin and Brandis Marsh, who assisted in the prosecution.

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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives United States Department of Justice